‘Fine parents who don’t read to kids!’

'Headteachers should have the power to fine them. It's sending the message you are responsible for your children no matter how poor you are.' Picture: Puri Devjee

'Headteachers should have the power to fine them. It's sending the message you are responsible for your children no matter how poor you are.' Picture: Puri Devjee

Published Jun 23, 2014

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London - Parents who don’t read to their children should be fined, the chief inspector of schools in Britain has suggested. Sir Michael Wilshaw also called for school principals to have the power to punish parents who miss school events or allow their child’s homework to go undone.

He railed against “bad parents” who were not supporting their children’s education.

Wilshaw, 67, accused working class families of no longer regarding doing well at school as the way to improve their family’s future.

Instead, pupils from migrant families were outperforming British counterparts in the classroom because many held a deep cultural belief in the value of education, he said.

Talking about his own days running a school, he said: “I was absolutely clear with parents; if they weren’t doing a good job, I’d tell them.

“It’s up to headteachers to say quite clearly, ‘You’re a poor parent’.

“If parents didn’t come into school, didn’t come to parents’ evening, didn’t read with their children, didn’t ensure they did their homework, I’d tell them they were bad parents.

“Headteachers should have the power to fine them. It’s sending the message you are responsible for your children no matter how poor you are.”

The lowest performing social group in England’s schools is the poor white working class, he said. Children from migrant families were doing “astonishingly well” in contrast.

Wilshaw claimed deprivation was too often used as an excuse for poor performance in the classroom.

 

The inspector also accused some TV programmes of “celebrating” poor parenting – with Channel 4’s Shameless singled out. Of the comedy-drama about a family living on a grim Manchester council estate, he said: “It’s almost glorifying fecklessness.”

He did not explain how a system of fines might work and ministers are unlikely to take up his suggestion.

But his comments come as Britain’s eduction secretary Michael Gove draws up plans for tougher sanctions – including cutting child benefit – where pupils bunk school. – Daily Mail

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